[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3738]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Today's opening prayer will be offered by the 
Reverend Marshal Ausberry, Sr., from Antioch Baptist Church in Fairfax 
Station, VA.
  The guest Chaplain offered the following prayer:
  Let us pray.
  Dear Lord, we pause at this moment to thank You for the day at hand: 
a day that You have given us. In this day, may You grant us wisdom and 
grace to do what is right, what is best, though it may not always be 
popular or politically expedient, but may it be right and best.
  I ask Your blessings over each man and woman who serves in this body. 
As we serve our communities, our constituents, and our country, may we 
do it with respect, as we engage in sometimes spirited debate.
  Dear Lord, grant us the ability to clearly see the common ground that 
unites us so we may work together to address the great challenges 
confronting our Nation.
  May we appreciate that You have raised us up for such a time as this 
and not we ourselves. We pray that You will keep Your hand, Your mighty 
hand upon this great Nation and protect us from those who would do us 
harm.
  We pray in Your wonderful Name. Amen.

                          ____________________